iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 2h

Happy birthday to the Hugo Award-winning writer Robert Reed! Celebrate the date by joining us for Kansas City BBQ on an episode of Eating the Fantastic — and find out the reason Robert Silverberg was a role model for him as he was getting started — and much more. www.scottedelman.com/2016/11/25/g...

Bob posing in front of all the trophies Q39 in Kansas City has won for its BBQ.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 2h

Today's treadmill TV time took me through the end of Ted Lasso Season 4, Episode 5. I know there have been criticisms of this unexpected season, but I don't care. Getting to hang out with these characters is like slipping into a warm bath.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 4h

This afternoon's writing session not only added 355 words to the story in progress, but it also took me through the opening sentences of the final scene ... at which point I decided to take a step back so I can attack it later with a fresh brain. It will feel good to finish the first draft.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 4h

I submitted my story on July 4, 2023, but by the time of its acceptance and receipt of an unacceptable contract, the new owners were in charge, and dozens of back and forth emails couldn't cure its faults. Oh, what might have been, had it been accepted a year earlier!

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 5h

Analog began as Astounding in 1930, F&SF was born in 1949, and Asimov's, the baby of the bunch, came into existence in 1977. I've been submitting to the first two since 1971, the last as soon as it launched. The new publishers broke something beautiful, destroying a combined 222 years of reputation.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 5h

Only Analog for me, unless you count the long-ago sonnet I published in Asimov's, which I don't. To have been THIS CLOSE to publishing in F&SF is heartbreaking. If I'd had that story accepted one year earlier under a different publisher I could have fulfilled a lifelong dream. But no.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 6h

I’m extremely happy my two sales to Analog took place when the magazine was still being published by a publisher who understood … you know … publishing.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 6h

This defense from the publisher of Asimov's, Analog, and F&SF is no defense at all. I'd hoped those of us who'd protested rights-grab contracts last year had caused a change in the way the company dealt with creators, but sadly, all three dream markets must still be unacceptable outlets for me. Sad.

A Statement on Copyright Retention Instead of "Work-for-Hire" Cover Illustrations at MRM

We previously commissioned illustrators to create covers as work-for-hire when they were asked to adapt authors' original stories for elements such as cover art.

This will be changing.

The rights granted to MRM by authors are limited, and therefore we can't protect the intellectual property and rights of the original author of the story, if we at the same time grant the authors' rights to the illustrator so that the illustrator can then retain an adaptation copyright. We don't acquire rights from authors that allow us to grant illustrators broad unencumbered use of the worlds, characters, and other elements created by the author.

We're planning to pause cover contracts based on specific stories for the foreseeable future while we figure out the best way forward with those kinds of commissions.

We prefer a process that will both feel fair to illustrators and protect the story authors' copyright.

To that end, we can license existing art or license new original art for our covers (not based on a story) with contracts for illustrators where the artist clearly retains the copyright in the underlying image, since there are no underlying rights owned by authors of the stories that are a part of these kinds of original works.

Regarding retention of "moral rights" in illustrations: our licensing agreements for original art and original fiction use language prepared by an international IP attorney based on notes we received from SFWA's contracts committee. These kinds of agreements no longer include a waiver of moral rights.

We always appreciate when contributors to the magazines express their concerns.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 6h

Which is the way I felt after having had a story accepted by F&SF after a lifetime of trying — then having to pull it as the result of my own failed contract negotiations. www.scottedelman.com/wordpress/20...

scottedelman.com

A dream denied: My 54-year quest to publish a short story in F&SF ‹ Scott Edelman

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 6h

Then there's the fact this gibberish only replies to one of the many problems with the contract they presented. They're not attempting to defend the requested NDA, nor any of the other issues raised by you and @donatoarts.bsky.social. I wonder if that's because they know they're indefensible.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 6h

Your context-free comic book panel of the day.

Close-up of a woman's head with a shock blast behind it.
HER THOUGHT BALLOON: "I wish I wasn't alone"
[from "Now and Forever,"" published in Love and Marriage #6, January 1953, writer and artist unknown.]

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 9h

An image from this morning's PS Publishing newsletter reminds me to remind you that you could be reading an ebook of my latest short story collection 101 Things to Do Before You're Downloaded RIGHT NOW! pspublishing.co.uk/101-things-t...

A banner titled "all the most recent titles as ebooks" illustrated with iPads showing book and magazine covers, including mine.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 9h

Mike Ditka's death reminds of the day I saw someone wearing this T-shirt and asked, "Stan Lee?" "No," he said, followed by him telling me who it was, which I misheard as "Ditko." "Ditko?" I asked, surprised. "Steve Ditko?" "No," he said. "Coach Ditka." And thus did two fans confuse each other!

The head of a mustachioed man wearing sunglasses and smoking a cigar.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 9h

Apparently, the last time I wore the jacket from last night's 50th anniversary dinner was at a Worldcon.

Holding a badge ribbon in the palm of my left hand. It reads, "Murderbot doesn't love you. It just wants to watch its shows."

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 10h

Happy birthday to comics creator Jim Starlin, who 55 years ago, when he was 21 and I was a 16-year old fanboy with a sketchpad at my second convention, drew me his fanzine superhero Doctor Weird. Six years later, I followed Jim as the writer on Captain Marvel — which resulted in my first hate mail!

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 11h

Hotel booking just opened for next year's Readercon — which I've only missed once since the first in 1987 — and I grabbed my room immediately. I look forward to hanging out with many of you there! And of course — as always — there will be donuts involved. readercon.org/hotel

readercon.org

Readercon 36 Hotel Information | Readercon Web Services

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 11h

Your thoughts are always welcome!

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 21h

Home from our COVID-postponed celebratory 50th anniversary meal at the Inn at Little Washington, a delightful, delicious dinner which ended with a tour of the kitchen. Too tired to share any food pics right now, but perhaps tomorrow after a decent night's sleep. Here's to 50 more years with Irene!

Photo of us in the kitchen at the Inn at Little Washington. I'm wearing a red and blue plaid jacket and red tie, while Irene has on a blouse of gold leaves on black, as well as a black wrap.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

This afternoon's writing session added exactly 300 more words to the story in progress. That's on top of the 79 words I scribbled in the dark in the middle of the night. Hoping to get another writing session in before the end of the day.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Woke in the middle of the night, scribbled down a paragraph in the dark, and have only now typed it up — delayed by dealing with the latest outrage in our community — but having finally gotten to it, I'm happy to report every word was legible, and so my subconscious added 79 words to the new story.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

And thank you so much for being with me on the barricades! As long as we keep speaking up publicly for what is right, no one in our community needs feel alone.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I'm imagine the contact I've been in conversation with is likely doing so as well, though after all I've been through, I've given up any hope a change will come.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Thanks! I wish the result of us taking a stand would have been to cause change in MRM's policies — but educating the community and hopefully preventing others from signing contracts they'd come to regret later in their careers ... that's reward enough. It had to be done, and I'm glad I did it.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I've been trying to sell a story to F&SF since 1971! It's where I submitted the first story I ever finished, when I was only 16. Having to pull an accepted story from that market was heartbreaking. But I did it in part to show the community if I could, so could anyone else. We are stronger together.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I'd intended to update my November 2025 post — and it's difficult to believe that whole mess was less than a year ago — to indicate all MRM contract issues has been solved, as that's what I'd been told. But it seems any update will have to be a bit different. www.scottedelman.com/wordpress/20...

scottedelman.com

A dream denied: My 54-year quest to publish a short story in F&SF ‹ Scott Edelman

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Good for you! I look forward to learning what they have to say.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

To have learned all this so closely on being told just a few days ago boilerplate contracts now contained everything I'd asked for, and having felt as a result of that news we who'd withdrawn our stories had caused the publisher to change, well ... I've now got a severe case of writerly whiplash.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

To have learned all this after being assured Saturday that the boilerplate author contracts now contained everything I'd asked for is particularly depressing. Even if the contract offered to writers is now perfect, I'd never allow myself to appear in any magazine which treated its artists this way.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

To follow-up — I just read @donatoarts.bsky.social's Facebook write-up, the details of which are extremely depressing. I'm sharing the link here, because it appears he's left it unlocked in order to spread the word and warn other professionals. This saddens me. www.facebook.com/donato.gianc...

facebook.com

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Edited to the 30-minute mark in the raw audio from my @laworldcon.bsky.social lunch with @marthawells.com, on which you'll be able to eavesdrop a week from Friday during the next episode of Eating the Fantastic. I hope you'll decide to join us at the table as we chat and chew. pod.link/1083737796

A screen grab of the sound waves of our voices in GarageBand, showing the many snips and a time stamp of 30:05.175.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Tonight's treadmill TV time took me halfway through Ted Lasso Season 4, Episode 4, which was all my tootsies could handle. I know I'm way behind the rest of the world, so no spoilers, please!

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I'd been told, as recently as this weekend, that everything I'd negotiated for and asked to be offered not just to me but to all is now a part of MRM's boilerplate, which pleased me, because it meant that standing my ground caused a change. So @johnpicacio.bsky.social's latest news is troubling.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I've been searching my digital files for this photo of Malcolm Edwards at the 2019 Dublin Worldcon ever since his passing. I captured him at a Gollancz party as George R. R. Martin praised his editorial talents before handing the microphone to Robert Silverberg to do the same. He will be missed.

George R. R. Martin, Robert Silverberg, and Malcolm Edwards at a party thrown by Gollancz during the 2019 Dublin Worldcon. Martin is speaking into a microphone.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I withdrew a story from F&SF after a fruitless contract negotiation, and posted about my ordeal here. But it was my understanding MRM had as a result since changed its tune and now includes all I'd asked for in their boilerplate. Hearing your problem worries me. www.scottedelman.com/wordpress/20...

scottedelman.com

A dream denied: My 54-year quest to publish a short story in F&SF ‹ Scott Edelman

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Happy birthday to Howard Chaykin, who when he was 21, I was 17, and dinosaurs still walked the Earth, drew me this sketch of his Iron-Wolf character during one of Phil Seuling’s July 4th weekend comics conventions. (But only if I let him destroy the one he'd done for me the year before, however.)

Howard Chaykin's sketch of Iron Wolf in repose, looking at the reader, sword at his hip.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

This afternoon's writing session resulted in another 203 words added to the story in progress, as well as yet another working title — my fourth or fifth, I think. Any one of them would do, but a title can't merely do — it has to call out to me as the only possible title for that particular story.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

"As we’ve said before, the bar for removal under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment is quite high. One little remark about approving the deaths of tens of millions of Americans at the hands of a foreign power shouldn’t warrant such a severe response." www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/rel...

mcsweeneys.net

Relax, We Can’t Invoke the Twenty-Fifth Amendment Every Time a President Offers to Let an Enemy Bomb an American City

“As we’ve said before, the bar for removal under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment is quite high. One little remark about approving the deaths of tens of millions o...

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Now that 2+ days have passed since I returned from Capclave, I've once again done my due diligence to be sure I'm not unknowingly an asymptomatic threat to those around me. And all continues to be copacetic. Some have assured me my Worldcon infection will protect me, but ... who can know for sure?

A COVID-19 test with a negative result held between my finger and thumb and photographed against a background of my computer keyboard.

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

A life-changing event took place 54 years ago today, though I had no idea at the time, for it was on that day Mighty World of Marvel #1 was published, which launched a line of weekly UK Marvel reprints — a line I was eventually hired to edit on June 24, 1974. Without that, no me as you know him.

The front cover to The Mighty World of Marvel #1, which is dated October 7, 1972 and cost 5p. Pictured are The Hulk, The Thing, Spider-Man, The Human Torch, Mister Fantastic, and the Invisible Woman.

Text:

Free! Green-skinned monster T-shirt transfer
The World's Greatest Superheroes!
We've got a great mystery surprise for every reader!
See page 20!
Flame On!
3 big supernatural movie length adventures
The Amazing Spider-Man!
The Incredible Hulk!
The fabulous Fantastic Four!

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Cosy Sheridan sings "I Cannot Wish That Man Well." Me neither. www.youtube.com/shorts/RJjpR...

youtube.com

YouTube video by Cosy Sheridan

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Today in text messages I shall not be answering.

Text Message • SMS
Today 8:05 AM
Hey, I've got your number saved, but there's no name next to it. Who's this?
What happened? I haven't heard from you yet.
If you did not expect this message from an unknown sender, it may be spam.
Report Spam

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Scott Edelman @scottedelman.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

As I prep my blog post for the Eating the Fantastic episode which will go live in 10 days with @marthawells.com, I find myself growing hungry as I look at the food pics and relive our meal. I've only just begun editing audio, but if you'd care to join us at the table, subscribe. pod.link/1083737796

Photos in two rows and three columns of the six dishes we shared during our Worldcon meal at Din Tai Fung:

Soy Noodle Salad

Taiwanese Cabbage with Garlic

Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao

Shrimp & Kurobuta Pork Shao Mai

Shaved Snow with Fresh Mango

Red Bean & Mochi Xiao Long Bao

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